Heavenly Peace

World peace. It’s become almost a cliche phrase. Yet, deep down, everyone still wants it. Even those of us who AREN’T Miss America.

Remember what the angel said when it appeared to the shepherds? “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests.” (Luke 2:14)

Focus is always given to “and on earth peace to men”, or as the Christmas carol says, “Peace on earth, goodwill to men”. But we’re neglecting the second part – “on whom his favor rests”.

Jesus came as the Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:6 – For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.) So it follows that the Prince of Peace would bring just that – peace. And He did. But the only ones who would know and experience that peace were the ones that believed and accepted Him. The ones “on whom his favor rests.”

Look at the shepherds:

Luke 2:15-19 – When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.” So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. …The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.

Something spectacular had just happened to them, but after the angel spoke to them they were no longer afraid. They had peace. They trusted that what the angel had said was true and they acted on it in complete faith. They believed in Jesus. They were those “on whom his favor rests.” They looked for Jesus and they found Him, just as had been promised.

What about the wise men?

Matthew 2: 1-2, 9-11 – After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem and asked, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.”…After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen when it rose went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was.When they saw the star, they were overjoyed.On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh.

These men, not even Jewish, couldn’t rest until they found the Messiah. They didn’t stop until they did find Him. Their desire? To worship Him. They trusted the prophesies that were declared hundreds of years before. They trusted the sign that God gave them in the stars (God spoke their language in this way). They believed that God had done what He said He would do. They came hundreds of miles in faith. They were those “on whom his favor rests.”

Remember Simeon? He was the man at the temple where Jesus was brought to be circumcised when He was eight days old.

Luke 2:25-32 –

Now there was a man in Jerusalem called Simeon, who was righteous and devout. He was waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was on him. It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not die before he had seen the Lord’s Messiah.Moved by the Spirit, he went into the temple courts. When the parents brought in the child Jesus to do for him what the custom of the Law required, Simeon took him in his arms and praised God, saying:

“Sovereign Lord, as you have promised, you may now dismiss your servant in peace.For my eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared in the sight of all nations; a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and the glory of your people Israel.”

Simeon experienced peace. He trusted God’s words telling him he wouldn’t die before he had seen the Messiah. When Mary and Joseph brought Jesus in, he knew exactly who He was. Having seen and held Jesus in his arms, he was now ready to die in peace. He was one “on whom his favor rests”.

But what about King Herod?

Matthew 2:3-8, 16-18 – When King Herod heard this he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him.When he had called together all the people’s chief priests and teachers of the law, he asked them where the Messiah was to be born. “In Bethlehem in Judea,” they replied, “for this is what the prophet has written:

“But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah for out of you will come a ruler who will shepherd my people Israel.”

Then Herod called the Magi secretly and found out from them the exact time the star had appeared. He sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search carefully for the child. As soon as you find him, report to me, so that I too may go and worship him.”

When Herod realized that he had been outwitted by the Magi, he was furious, and he gave orders to kill all the boys in Bethlehem and its vicinity who were two years old and under, in accordance with the time he had learned from the Magi. Then what was said through the prophet Jeremiah was fulfilled:

“A voice is heard in Ramah, weeping and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children and refusing to be comforted, because they are no more.”

Herod had no intention of worshiping this newborn King. He was afraid. He felt threatened. His only desire in finding Him was to kill Him. He didn’t trust God. He didn’t believe this was his Messiah. This Child’s coming didn’t bring him peace. It only brought him angst. He died knowing neither God nor peace. He was not among those “on whom his favor rests”.

We are all still looking for peace. But world peace can never happen without individual peace. And individual peace can’t happen if we don’t embrace the Prince of Peace. It’s accessible to all of us. That’s the whole reason Jesus came.

John 14:27 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.

John 16:33 I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”

We try and find our own peace. We have so many ways we try. We desperately want it. But we are overlooking the never ending Source of Peace. Jesus Himself. The creator of peace. The Prince of Peace. Like the cheesy saying goes, “No God, no peace. Know God, know peace.” Cheesy, yes. But so true.

Like the shepherds and the wise men and Simeon, we need to trust what God says. We need to believe that He is true to His word when He says things like “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.” (Jeremiah 29:11-13)

Let’s find peace. Let’s share peace. Let’s be those “on whom his favor rests” and experience all the peace our hearts could ever desire.